Week 1 in the AFC North gave each team a very different kind of opening statement. Baltimore looked explosive on both sides of the ball, Cincinnati leaned on a defense that suddenly forced mistakes, Pittsburgh rode its defense to a win, and Cleveland opened with more questions than answers.
Baltimore’s 41-23 rout of the Indianapolis Colts was the loudest performance in the division. Jesse Minter’s defense came out looking exactly like the unit the Ravens wanted it to be, shutting down explosive plays through the air, bringing steady pressure, and turning the Colts over twice.
Trey Hendrickson, the Ravens’ big free-agent addition, led the charge with eight pressures. Tavius Robinson and Malaki Starks each added a sack, while Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey delivered the turnovers, Smith with an interception and Humphrey with a forced fumble.
The offense backed it all up with a huge day, piling up 506 total yards. Lamar Jackson was sharp, going 17 of 25 for 324 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
Zay Flowers was electric in the first half, stacking up a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown before leaving with a hamstring injury. Derrick Henry also looked like he’s ready to wreck another season, finishing with 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
Cincinnati opened with a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and did it by making life miserable for Baker Mayfield. The Bengals’ rebuilt defense forced four turnovers, including three fumbles, and got to Mayfield four times. Dexter Lawrence, acquired for a first-round pick this offseason, didn’t record a stat, but his impact in the middle showed up against both the run and the pass.
Joe Burrow’s first game of the year was solid rather than spectacular. He completed 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards, a touchdown, and a pick-six.
Ja’Marr Chase had a quiet afternoon with just two catches for 12 yards, but Mike Gesicki picked up the slack, leading Cincinnati with 78 receiving yards and a touchdown on five receptions. Chase Brown handled the ground game with 56 rushing yards and a score on 16 carries, and he also added 22 yards on five catches.
Pittsburgh’s 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons came in Mike McCarthy’s first game as head coach. The Steelers’ defense made the difference, and Cooper Rush had a rough day filling in for the injured Tua Tagovailoa.
Rush was intercepted twice, including a pick-six from T.J. Watt, who also added two sacks to remind everyone he’s still a force.
Jaquan Brisker picked off the Steelers’ other interception.
On offense, Aaron Rodgers’ self-proclaimed final season began with 221 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-40 passing. Michael Pittman, the team’s newly acquired wideout, led the way with 58 receiving yards on three catches, and Pat Freiermuth grabbed the lone touchdown. In the backfield, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle split the workload closely, with Warren finishing with 46 rushing yards to Dowdle’s 15.
Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was a rough start to Todd Monken’s NFL head coaching debut. The Browns’ defense, now without Myles Garrett after the trade to the Los Angeles Rams, had no answer for Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars quarterback completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns, and he was sacked only once by Mason Graham. Jared Verse, the outside linebacker acquired in the Garrett deal, was quiet in his debut with his new team.
The offense didn’t provide much relief. Deshaun Watson won the starting job over Shedeur Sanders in the offseason, but his opener already has people calling for a change.
Watson went 16 of 22 for a touchdown and an interception, took five sacks, and lost a fumble. Rookie first-round receiver KC Concepcion caught four passes for 43 yards but also coughed up a fumble.
Fellow rookie Denzel Boston led Cleveland with 59 yards and a touchdown on just two catches, and his 46-yard score was the team’s biggest highlight of the day.
In Other News...
Ravens Fans Got The Zay Flowers Update They Needed
Zay Flowers early exit from Week 1 raised the usual alarm for Ravens fans, but the latest update offered some reassurance. The second-year receiver is day-to-day after suffering a hamstring injury against the Indianapolis Colts, and the team did not push the issue once Baltimore had built a comfortable lead. It was the kind of precautionary move teams make when they can afford to think beyond one game.
Jesse Minter confirmed Flowers status ahead of Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, keeping the door open for a quick return while still leaving the Ravens with a little uncertainty to monitor. Hamstrings can be tricky, even when the initial concern is mild, so Baltimore will be watching closely as the week unfolds. For now, the news is as good as the Ravens could have reasonably hoped for after watching one of their top playmakers head to the sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens May Not Have Much Time To Solve This WR Problem
The Ravens are still navigating a thin wide receiver room in mid-September, and the lack of a veteran addition has only sharpened the sense that this is a spot worth watching. Head coach Jesse Minter has acknowledged the possibility of going outside the building, but for now the focus remains on internal options and on handling injured players carefully as the team tries to keep the offense from getting too stretched.
Even with the season already underway, Baltimore may not be able to let the issue linger much longer. Several veteran receivers are being floated as possible additions to the roster or practice squad, and the next move could say a lot about how urgently the Ravens view the problem. For a team trying to stay balanced on offense, the question is whether help arrives soon enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Moore Just Made The Ravens Roster Decision A Lot Harder
Chris Moore gave the Ravens a lot to think about in their Week 1 game against the Colts, handling the primary kick return duties and flashing as a receiver when he got his chance. He finished with four kick returns for 121 yards and added a 53-yard catch, a showing that lined up with the kind of all-purpose value Baltimore can always use when the roster starts to tighten up.
Jesse Minter made clear he noticed the impact, and Moores 174 all-purpose yards only sharpened the question of whether his performance was enough to push him toward the 53-man roster. With another wide receiver dealing with an injury, the Ravens suddenly have a tougher call to make about whether Moores special teams spark and playmaking on offense are enough to earn him a longer stay. [Read more 🡒]